1.In the space below, describe the stasis at the beginning of the play NOT THE FILM of Real Women Have Curves. In other words, “Where are we?” “When is it (time, day, and year)?” “Who are the people involved?” “What is the dramatic situation in which the characters find themselves as the play unfolds?” In the entire play, we are in Estela’s sewing factory in Southern California in the late 80s and the play lasts for a couple of days in the month of September. The weather is hot compared to the rest of the United States and the setting seems to be located on the outskirts of East Los Angeles. We are immediate introduced to all the characters of Ana, Estela, Dona Carmen, Pancha, and Rosali and they all seem to have a very close working family relationship. The dramatic situation that affects all the women in the play are their statuses as immigrants and women in the United States and if Estela can financially keep her employees and factory. 2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken in the play and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play?
The intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken in the play is the revelation that Estela has financial problems factory from the that affect the women’s pay. 3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
I believe that this play takes place in a time when Hispanic women in Los Angeles have the freedoms to pursue what they want but must pass through some tough hurdles compared to the rest of American women. This is a time when women work to provide for the family but wonder in fear if they will get exposed by a patrol officer. In this case these women are stuck in a conservative culture while living in a progressive American culture where women have the freedom to marry whomever they want or study what they want.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
The dramatic question that must be answered by the end of the play is whether or not the women can finish their dress orders on time for the Glitz company and it Estela can fix her financial obligations to keep the factory and employees. 5. Use Ana, the central character, to answer the questions. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is, the dramatic actions that are taken by that character. Examine what Ana wants (NOTE: In Real Women Ana's wants seem to be in flux. They change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles.
Ana wants to be an independent writer and see another side of the world with brand new eyes and not become sucked into the trap that she feels her family brings upon her with the expectation of getting married and having kids working in the family business. She also wants to be known for her mind and not for her body, she wants to find love in her own terms and not her mothers. Society in this case is handing her the key to her dream life in New York, but is also conflicted with her mother’s wishes. God seems to be providing her with the path of her dreams and all the obstacles seem to be created by her alone. The only thing I guess you could argue for being an actual obstacle to her dream life is her ethnicity of being a Mexican Woman in “Modern” American for it serves as a way for people to deny her worth. 6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Real Women Have Curves.
I did not feel as though there were a lot of theatrical moment in this play besides the revelation of Estela’s criminal record and her having financial issues that affect the women. I feel as though there were a lot of comedic moments. 7. Provide at least three examples of images in Real Women. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
I would say Carmen’s mole is an image that symbolizes Carmen’s value she places on her role as the cook and housekeeper of her family. The physical bodies of the women is perceived as the years of long working hours and lag it did to the women’s bodies. And the factory represents the place where the women feel as though they are needed and useful besides being house takers for their husbands and children considering it is owned by Estela. 8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Real Women.
True beauty lies within one’s soul, not by the size of their dress. Follow your heart and live in the moment for life will pass by before you even know it. One is never defined by their ethnicity or last name, never believe the allusion that one will never mount out to anything because of the color of your skin or the sound of your accent. 9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Real Women? Is family redefined in this play? If so, how and why?
I would say that family is the center of focus in this play because this play is based on an Hispanic community. The family that is also created within the walls of the factory is the one that work together and fight through the problem that Estela has by sacrificing themselves. The sisterhood bond is strong as I would argue the main reason for the success that Estela has at the end when she does get to financially keep her factory. I don’t think that family is redefined necessary but empathized through the women’s actions of giving up their paychecks, indicating that the women will sacrifice for another. The family each women have is their but not central to the family that was created in the play.
In the entire play, we are in Estela’s sewing factory in Southern California in the late 80s and the play lasts for a couple of days in the month of September. The weather is hot compared to the rest of the United States and the setting seems to be located on the outskirts of East Los Angeles. We are immediate introduced to all the characters of Ana, Estela, Dona Carmen, Pancha, and Rosali and they all seem to have a very close working family relationship. The dramatic situation that affects all the women in the play are their statuses as immigrants and women in the United States and if Estela can financially keep her employees and factory. 2. What is the intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken in the play and the dramatic action to develop, often at an increasingly rapid pace, to the end of the play?
The intrusion that causes the stasis to be broken in the play is the revelation that Estela has financial problems factory from the that affect the women’s pay. 3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor which is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place?
I believe that this play takes place in a time when Hispanic women in Los Angeles have the freedoms to pursue what they want but must pass through some tough hurdles compared to the rest of American women. This is a time when women work to provide for the family but wonder in fear if they will get exposed by a patrol officer. In this case these women are stuck in a conservative culture while living in a progressive American culture where women have the freedom to marry whomever they want or study what they want.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
The dramatic question that must be answered by the end of the play is whether or not the women can finish their dress orders on time for the Glitz company and it Estela can fix her financial obligations to keep the factory and employees. 5. Use Ana, the central character, to answer the questions. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, that is, the dramatic actions that are taken by that character. Examine what Ana wants (NOTE: In Real Women Ana's wants seem to be in flux. They change as the play progresses). The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles.
Ana wants to be an independent writer and see another side of the world with brand new eyes and not become sucked into the trap that she feels her family brings upon her with the expectation of getting married and having kids working in the family business. She also wants to be known for her mind and not for her body, she wants to find love in her own terms and not her mothers. Society in this case is handing her the key to her dream life in New York, but is also conflicted with her mother’s wishes. God seems to be providing her with the path of her dreams and all the obstacles seem to be created by her alone. The only thing I guess you could argue for being an actual obstacle to her dream life is her ethnicity of being a Mexican Woman in “Modern” American for it serves as a way for people to deny her worth. 6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Real Women Have Curves.
I did not feel as though there were a lot of theatrical moment in this play besides the revelation of Estela’s criminal record and her having financial issues that affect the women. I feel as though there were a lot of comedic moments. 7. Provide at least three examples of images in Real Women. How does the title of the play help us understand the images in the play? (Remember Ball says that, “An image is the use of something we know that tells us something we don’t know.” He goes on to say that images invoke and expand, rather than define and limit.”)
I would say Carmen’s mole is an image that symbolizes Carmen’s value she places on her role as the cook and housekeeper of her family. The physical bodies of the women is perceived as the years of long working hours and lag it did to the women’s bodies. And the factory represents the place where the women feel as though they are needed and useful besides being house takers for their husbands and children considering it is owned by Estela.
8. Ordinarily, there are many themes in most plays. List the themes in Real Women.
True beauty lies within one’s soul, not by the size of their dress. Follow your heart and live in the moment for life will pass by before you even know it. One is never defined by their ethnicity or last name, never believe the allusion that one will never mount out to anything because of the color of your skin or the sound of your accent. 9. Most American plays have something to do with family and/or family relationships. What does family have to do with the dramatic action in Real Women? Is family redefined in this play? If so, how and why?
I would say that family is the center of focus in this play because this play is based on an Hispanic community. The family that is also created within the walls of the factory is the one that work together and fight through the problem that Estela has by sacrificing themselves. The sisterhood bond is strong as I would argue the main reason for the success that Estela has at the end when she does get to financially keep her factory. I don’t think that family is redefined necessary but empathized through the women’s actions of giving up their paychecks, indicating that the women will sacrifice for another. The family each women have is their but not central to the family that was created in the play.